Jason Bonham has been celebrating his father John Bonham and Led Zeppelin in concert for nearly 15 years. But these days, the drummer has a secret weapon enhancing his show: guitarist Akio “Mr. Jimmy” Sakurai.
On Tuesday night (November 26th), the “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening” tour made a stop at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York.
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Performing Led Zeppelin’s music is no easy task, especially considering Jason’s dad was one of the greatest drummers ever. In fact, John Bonham landed at No. 1 on Consequence‘s recent list of the 100 Best Drummers of All Time.
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That said, Jason takes things a step further, not only covering Led Zeppelin’s tunes, but in some cases, tackling specific live versions of the songs from legendary Zeppelin concerts. Good luck to most people trying to replicate John Bonham and Jimmy Page’s parts in those cases, but Jason is a highly skilled drummer himself, and now he’s armed with a guitarist who has dedicated his life to emulating Page.
Akio “Mr. Jimmy” Sakurai has spent years mastering just about every single note Page has played, along with the guitar icon’s onstage movements and mannerisms — not to mention, he also bears a strong resemblance to the Led Zeppelin legend. He’s even the subject of a recent documentary, Mr. Jimmy, that chronicles his dedication to mastering all things Jimmy Page.
As the band opened the set with songs like “in the Evening,” “Good Times Bad Times,” and “Ramble On,” it was immediately evident how much time was spent rehearsing and mastering these classic tunes. A huge highlight was an epic rendition of “Dazed and Confused,” with Mr. Jimmy breaking out a violin bow to play a psychedelic guitar solo, as made famous by Page during Zeppelin’s memorable concerts.
Hits like “Over the Hills and Far Away” and “Kashmir” highlighted the second half of the set, as did the all-time classic “Stairway to Heaven.” After a sing-along to John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Jason and company closed things out with rousing renditions of “Whole Lotta Love” and “Rock and Roll.”
Of course, the band isn’t just Jason and Mr. Jimmy. Singer James Dylan does a solid job on vocals, displaying a strong range. Unlike Mr. Jimmy, he doesn’t try to emulate Robert Plant — again, that would be a very difficult task — instead letting the spotlight shine on Jason and Mr. Jimmy. The lineup is rounded out by Dorian Heartsong on bass and Alex Howland on keyboards, each talented musicians in their own right.
Throughout the show, Jason shared stories of his father and Led Zeppelin. One amusing recollection involved a young Jason telling his dad that The Police’s Stewart Copeland was a better drummer than him, and ended with a backstage confrontation involving John Bonham and Sting.
Jason also expressed his genuine love toward his late father throughout the set, and his gratitude to the fans for allowing him to celebrate Led Zeppelin’s music.
Perhaps the most admirable aspect of the tour is Jason’s willingness to let Mr. Jimmy share the spotlight at each concert. While Jason’s name is on the marquee, there are really two stars of the show, and it’s a treat for fans to see a couple of masters at work.
The “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening” tour runs through a December 16th show in Tampa, Florida, with tickets available via Ticketmaster or StubHub. See our photos and fan-filmed video of the Port Chester concert, as well as the setlist, below.
Setlist:
In the Evening
Good Times Bad Times
Ramble On
What Is and What Should Never Be
Heartbreaker
When the Levee Breaks
Achilles Last Stand
Dazed and Confused
The Ocean
Over the Hills and Far Away
Misty Mountain Hop
Black Mountain Side
Kashmir
Stairway to Heaven
Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover with audience vocals)
Whole Lotta Love
Rock and Roll
